Vocabulary

to take a decision – принимать решение;

mainframe – большой объемный;

to reverse – изменить пересмотреть;

to set up – устанавливать;

to challenge – конкурировать, бросать вызов;

commodity items – единицы продажи;

initial research – первое, первоначальное исследование;

collaboration – сотрудничество;

endorsement – поддержка, рекомендация;

minor – незначительный;

to upgrade – усовершенствовать;

to expand – расширять;

circuit – цель, контур;

non-proprietary – непатентованный.

Task 1

Answer these questions about the text.

1. How many mainframes did IBM think it was possible to sell in 1952?

2. How many PCs have now been sold?

3. Who paid for the initial research into PCs?

4. Which company later used the results of this research to develop their operating system?

5. What are command-based operating systems?

6. DR/DOS is an acronym. What does it stand for?

7. Since the invention of the IBM PC. many of its features have been improved.

Which of the following features does the text not mention in this respect?

a memory

b speed

c size

d cost

Task 2

Using the line references given look back in the text and fined words that have a similar meaning to:

1. international (lines 10-15)

2. contested (lines 15-20)

3. errors (lines 25-30)

4. paid for (lines 25-30)

5. buy (lines 45-50)

6. first (lines 60-65)

7. recommendation (lines 65-70)

8. improved (lines 75-80)

Task 3

Discuss the following questions:

1. In what other ways are computers used at home, or outside work?

2. If you already have a PC, how do you use it? (If not. how would you use one?)

Task 4

Use the information in the reading passage and the diagram to help you match the terms below with the appropriate explanation or definition.

A processor consists of many different electronic circuits and devices for performing control functions, arithmetic and logic operations, and data transfers. Data may be transferred from backing storage to the internal memory or from the internal memory to the arithmetic unit by means of conductive channels known as buses. The part of the processor which controls data transfers between the various input and output devices is called the control unit.

	microprocessor chip		used to send address details between the memory and the address register
	registers		consists of an arithmetic-logic unit, one or more working registers to store data being processed, and accumulators for storing the results of calculations
	accumulators		a group of signal lines used to transmit data in parallel from one element of a computer to another
	control bus		groups of bistable devices used to store information in a computer system for high-speed access
	address bus		an electronic circuit, usually a quartz crystal, that generates electronic pulses at fixed time intervals to control the timing of all operations in the processor
	data bus		used for storing part of the operating system and application software known as «firmware»; can only be read; cannot be written to or altered in any way
	clock		used to store numeric data during pro­cessing
	RAM		a group of signal lines dedicated to the passing of control signals
	ROM		used for the temporary storage of application programs and data; can be written to and read from

Task 5

Put the verb in a proper tense form (Present, Past, Future Simple Active) and translate.

1. Корпорация «Xerox» вложила капитал в компьютрные исследования в лаборатории Пало АЛТО в Калифорнии.

2. Компания принимает решение остановить бизнес по выпуску больших компьютеров.

3. Билл Гейтс основал «Microsoft» на основе развития MS/DOS.

4. Эти идеи войдут в операционную систему, разработанную для компании «Apple».

5. «Digital Research» продолжает развивать свою операционную систему DR/DOS.